Article

2004-01-16 India-Pakistan

The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) is an opposition alliance, which has changed the Pakistan's political culture from agitation and provocation to settlement of issues through dialogue, reason and argument, says Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

They've somehow done this through a policy of histrionics, walk-outs from parliament, demonstrations, and generally making faces and jumping up and down. They've made Pakistan a showcase for democracy at its worst.

The MMA Secretary-General was addressing a Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) meeting for condoling the death of Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani.

Yep. He's still dead. I find that comforting.

Alliance's acting president Qazi Hussain Ahmad was in the chair. Fazl said by entering into an agreement with the government on the LFO and supporting the 17th amendment, the MMA had not become a government ally.

Far from it. And how's Qazi's heart, by the way? Is he getting enough pie in his diet?

"We continue to be the main opposition group in the parliament and will oppose the government policies which would be against the national interest," he declared.

"Also those which would be in the national interest. And those which would be neutral. In fact, we will oppose all of them."

He said all the opposition parties that had supported the late Z.A. Bhutto and approved the constitution bill in 1973 had also not ceased to be the opposition in the parliament because of their support. He said that the MMA had worked not for power but in the greater national interest to resolve the crisis on the LFO.

Then his lips fell off...

The JUI chief severely criticized the army action in tribal belt of the NWFP and said that over 70,000 army troops had been deployed on the western borders. He said that as many as 36 helicopters in a tribal area had been used to catch two alleged terrorists. He said that the Pakhtoons had been removed from the tribal belt of Afghanistan and now the same process of elimination had been started on the Pakistan side of the belt. "We know that tribal areas' peculiar and dangerous situation. They are on the tip of gunpowder hillock. The government must act with patience and tolerance in dealing with the tribal people."

"They really can't be expected to control their impulses, y'know..."

He regretted that the government had lost patience and said: "The government is adding to the fire while MMA is putting it off." He warned that if MMA declared to fight against the operation the government would not stay for more than a few days and the entire area would turn into a battle field."

Posted by Fred Pruitt 2004-01-16 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

18:51 M. Murcek
18:49 M. Murcek
18:36 Skidmark
18:35 Frank G
18:34 Frank G
18:34 Skidmark
17:49 Procopius2k
17:40 Deacon+Blues
17:31 Deacon+Blues
16:54 Raj
16:49 Punky and Tenille2358
16:47 swksvolFF
16:45 NN2N1
16:34 Grom the Reflective
16:32 Grom the Reflective
15:47 M. Murcek
15:43 Silentbrick
15:30 ed in texas
15:25 M. Murcek
15:23 M. Murcek
15:20 M. Murcek
15:15 swksvolFF
14:43 Skidmark
14:37 Skidmark